Let me introduce you to Andre and Dottie. I didn't have to move Heaven and Earth to get them, but it sure wasn't easy, either. I had to perfect time travel, then survive the trip.
First, I went searching for a Brontosaurus egg. This was the "easy" part. At least after I managed to evade that giant T-Rex. A Brontosaurus is hard to miss. Unfortunately, the mother is also very protective of her nest.
It took me many days to get close enough to even see the eggs. And when I did... I realized that I would have to bring the time machine to the egg. It was simply too heavy to carry.
Once I got the egg home, I put it in a homemade incubator. This was just the beginning. I still had to go find Dottie.
Dottie is my beloved Sabertooth Tiger. I almost became a meal for her family, thanks to her mom waiting in ambush. If that pack of Dire Wolves hadn't chased her up a tree, I would have been cat food!
While the wolves kept Mom busy, I got Dottie out of there. Unfortunately her brother climbed a 200 foot tree, so I had to leave him.
Dottie and Andre get along great! Andre pulls up the plant life, exposing deer and rabbits. Dottie happily eats them, leaving the area clean of herbivores.
I love them both. Andre gives me rides wherever I want to go, and the view from the top of his head is spectacular! He also cleared out all of the other houses on the block, so I have loads of extra room. We called it an accident, that he was still just a clumsy baby. The suckers bought it too!
Dottie is so sweet, and she brings me fresh venison regularly. Sure, there's the odd arm or leg, but I just toss those back to her.
The only real drawbacks to having them are their appetites. Andre eats tons of vegetation every day. Dottie needs at least two deer, or she gets grumpy. Have you ever seen a grumpy Sabertooth Tiger? They are not pleasant company. Luckily, as the last of their kind, Dottie and Andre are free to roam.
Dottie has never been caught being aggressive to humans. She is intelligent enough to act like a kitten whenever anyone comes around, or when spotted in public. Although not particularly fond of strangers, she can really lay on the charm when necessary. She usually avoids people and areas where she might be seen, which helps to avoid controversy.
Andre, like the wrestler he was named after, is a gentle giant. He tends to avoid the city, and any other human structures. I just worry about what he will eat when he finishes with all of the plants around here.
I guess we will figure something out, if and when the food supply runs out. Until then, we are just one big, happy family.
Yes, I love Andre and Dottie. But I don't recommend that you go get your own prehistoric pets. They definitely aren't for everyone!
Cover image made in Canva using their gallery